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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fine — high quality
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a great time
  18. branch — a division
  19. fine — all right
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — to get on
  23. lie — to recline
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com